From Paul Osuyi, Asaba

 

Ahead of the March 6, 2021 local government elections in Delta State, the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Monday said nomination forms for female councillorship and chairmanship aspirants would be free across the state.

Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) had last week rang the bell for political activities at the grassroots with the announcement of March 6, 2021 for the conduct of elections across the 500 wards of the 25 local government areas.

Expressing its readiness to participate in the council polls, chairman of the APC in the state, Jones Erue said the party would give the ruling People Democratic Party (PDP) a good run for it’s money.

Erue said the intention of making the forms free of charge for female aspirants was to encourage women to participate in the electoral process which he described as the breeding ground for budding politicians.

“As a party, we desirous of taking over power from the PDP, and we must be ready not only to participate in the council polls but also win in some local government areas,” he said.

The chairman spoke in Asaba during an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting, where he told party faithfuls that all hitherto known tendencies that polarised the party along interest lines have been abolished with the reconciliation of party leaders.

He charged grassroots leaders of the party take the message of reconciliation to the various wards, and ensure that the membership strength of the party is increased by over 100% in the fast approaching national revalidation exercise.

“Reconciliation is not a tea party, you must reach places of compromise, you must be ready to shift grounds. That is why we are very grateful to party leaders and officials who have made sacrifices in the interest of the party.

“At the moment, there are no more Ochei faction, O’tega faction, Ogboru faction or Omo-Agege faction. We have all united now to take over the governance of Delta State from the corrupt and decadent hands of the PDP led by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa,” he said.

Erue stated that the APC performed badly in the last general election in Delta State because of the in fighting and disunity of members, and called on them to close ranks for the up coming polls.

He declared that state party officials who were suspended in the heat of the crisis, have all be recalled.